The Association of State Wetland Managers is a member of Ramsar U.S. Partnering with Wetland Link International to provide an opportunity for wetland education and interpretive centers in North America, we presented this webinar as a multi-national venue for sharing information and collaborating on issues of common concern. The webinar provided an opportunity to learn about wetland center activities in North America, discuss effective approaches, and think about building a Wetland Center Network in North America through Wetland Link International (WLI). This was a great chance to bring a broad range of people on wetland education and interpretation together. To review the agenda, please go here. For more information about Wetland Link International, please click here.

This webinar features presenters and participants from Canada, United States and United Kingdom, including educators, state wetland program staff, consultants, non-profit organizations and government agencies.

Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District: What Happened and Where Do We Go From Here

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

On June 23rd, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision that is likely to be a significant property rights ruling. The 5-4 ruling expanded the application of "essential nexus" and "rough proportionality" from the earlier Nollan and Dolan decisions. It extended these tests to permit conditions requiring monetary payments — with no express limitation except as to taxes. This is a complicated case that is likely to be extremely challenging for government agencies, the public and the courts to interpret and apply. The Association of State Wetland Managers is hosting a 2-hour webinar with four expert lawyers to provide an overview of the decision and explore its potential implications for state, local and federal decision-making. There are three questions that will be addressed during the webinar: 1) What does the decision say and what does it mean? 2) What actions or changes in program decision-making, permitting, planning, etc. should local, state and federal governments consider pursuing as a result of the decision? and 3) In light of Koonz and other recent Supreme Court decisions, is there a shift in takings law and, if so, what does that mean for state and local government?

Second Question: What action or changes in program decision-making, permitting, planning, etc. should local, state and federal governments consider pursuing as a result of the decision? Jon Kusler, Association of State Wetland ManagersReaction and Discussion; Dan Siegel, Jan Goldman-Carter Roy Gardner and Jon Kusler

Third Question: In light of Koonz and other recent Supreme Court decisions, is there a shift in takings law and, if so, what does that mean for state and local government? Dan Siegel, Attorney General's Office, CaliforniaReaction: Jan Goldman-Carter Roy Gardner, Jon Kusler and Dan SiegelClosing Comments

Part 1: Introduction, Jeanne ChristieSpeaker: Royal C. Gardner

Part 2: Speakers: Jan Goldman-Carter and Royal C. Gardner

Part 3: Speaker: Jon Kusler

Part 4: Speaker: Jon Kusler

Part 5: Speaker: Dan Siegel

Part 6: Closing Comments

BIOS

Jan Goldman-Carter is Senior Manager, Wetlands and Water Resources for the National Wildlife Federation. She manages the NWF campaign to restore Clean Water Act protections and works to strengthen wetland and watershed protections regionally and nationally. Jan has lectured and written extensively on Clean Water Act and wetlands laws and programs since 1987. She received the EPA-ELI National Wetlands Award in 1993. Jan served as a wetlands specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She grew up on the edge of the "River of Grass" - the Everglades - and enjoys canoeing, kayaking, birding and otherwise being in and on the water. She received her B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Williams College, Massachusetts, her M.S. in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources, and her law degree from the University of Minnesota.

Daniel L. Siegel is the Supervising Deputy Attorney General in charge of the California Attorney General's Land Law Section in Sacramento. He represents various state agencies in complex state and federal land use lawsuits, including many takings actions, and represents the Attorney General directly regarding matters such as the protection of Lake Tahoe. Mr. Siegel represented the State of California at trial and during appeals in Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Counsel v. TRPA, et al., and he authored amicus curiae briefs in takings cases such as Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District,Stop the Beach Renourishment v. Florida Department of Environment Protection and Brown v. Legal Foundation of Washington (U.S. Sup. Ct.) and San Remo Hotel v. City and County of San Francisco (Calif. Sup. Ct.). Mr. Siegel authored and updates the regulatory takings chapter, and co-authored the litigation chapter, in the CEB California Land Use Practice book, and recently had various takings related articles published in Stanford, UCLA, U.C. Hastings and Vermont Law School journals. He regularly gives presentations concerning takings and other issues, and has testified before Congress and the California legislature regarding takings issues. Before joining the California Attorney General's office, Mr. Siegel was a legal services attorney and manager, representing indigent clients in civil litigation. Mr. Siegel obtained his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his law degree from New York University School of Law.

Populations of certain amphibians are in steep decline. Chytridiomycosis fungus, urban development, and global warming are appearing to spell doom for many species. The good news is that something can be done to help rare species of amphibians by restoring wetlands. You’ll see how wetlands can be designed and built to provide habitat for the wood frog, four-toed salamander, Chiricahua leopard frog, red-legged frog, eastern spadefoot, and great basin spadefoot.

BIO

Tom Biebighauser is an ASWM member who works as a Wildlife Biologist for the U.S. Forest Service. He has restored over 1,500 wetlands in 20-States and 2-Canadian Provinces, assisting thousands of private landowners and agency personnel with the design and construction of wetlands for improving wildlife and fish habitat. He teaches practical, hands-on workshops across North America where participants learn about wetland restoration and drainage by becoming involved in the design and construction of naturally appearing and functioning wetlands. Tom has written three books about restoring wetlands A Guide to Creating Vernal Ponds in 2003, Wetland Drainage, Restoration, and Repair in 2007, and Wetland Restoration and Construction - A Technical Guide, in 2011. Photos showing some of the wetlands he has built are available for viewing here. You may contact him at